Buddy the bus: 69 Dormobile

[Lee C]

Engine & gearbox combo sounds excellent!!
Radio flyer has come up a treat too!!!!

 

[SiDev]

Well, up early yesterday and over to Litesteer to have Neil fit the rebuilt steering box from Midland Early Bay. Took just over 3 hours including the tracking , which was only slightly out.

Out with the old...

Still got the same amount of play as before which is disappointing, but feels more solid over big bumps, so an improvement in that respect. Neil had some nice motors in for power steering conversions including this beaut...

Then today parked up at the beach for ice cream...

And saw this, nicely done RHD, stanced just right with banded steels out back...

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[SiDev]

Great thread and pics ... where did you get your awning / canopy from??

I've got a massive drive away awning but want something more simple for short weekend breaks etc ... Yay, found something very similar, the remit from the Mrs was it had to be beige'ish [obviusly] ... Camping & General Gelert Lakesbury 4 porch £45 delivered

Cheers

I normally get my camping stuff from Field and Trek, used them for years and they're pretty good, but owned by Sports Direct now I believe? This little shelter I got on offer for about £15 delivered, perfect if you're away for a couple of nights and don't want to take anything too big or heavy.

 

[SiDev]

Finally out of hibernation, and with new rear kid-friendly carpet...

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[vassy69SC]

Excellent bus!! We love the Dormobiles.

 

[SiDev]

See these little beauts in Verona last weekend...

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[SiDev]

Well I got bored of the garish, fussy interior panels in the back so bought some coffee sacks off eBay and gave it a cheap and cheerful once-over. All-in it's only cost about £25 so far.
Before/during...

After...

Now either my amp or sub is goosed, so that's next, need to get it sorted before the long drive down to EBI.


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[SiDev]

So, having been cocked around by a guy who advertised an engine for sale, then disappeared, and with EBI just a couple of days away, time for ticking off a couple of little things I'd meant to get around to ages ago...
First, the holes in the headlining...

...using super glue and a couple of bits of plastic cut from a strawberry punnet, of all things...

Looks a bit better then it was and at least it won't get any worse...

Moved the sub box which was just thrown in, and recovered the garish vinyl that was on the kick board with something more suitable...

Looking a tad more organised now, just need to cut the grass...

Looking forward to EBI, hopefully the weather forecast improves!


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[SiDev]

Well back from EBI, a good show but the weather was shocking! Some amazing cars though, with incredible detail, here's some of my favourites...

The coolest kiddy toy...

Found some enormous beers...

And found Miss EBI...

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[SiDev]

So, Roadtrip!!!!!!!! France (sulky ******s), Belgium (friendly bunch, love a drink & a dance), and Holland (like the Belgians but better food and less lairy). All have (so far) been excellent, I'm in Belgium and Holland 8-10 times a year for work so it's familiar teritory, but bringing the bus is a completely different experience: locals were literally hanging out the windows taking pics.

 

[gninnam]

Good report and I think I would agree with your findings about the different nationalities

 

[SiDev]

So, the roadtrip started with my mate coming from his place in Norfolk to mine in Folkestone, a simple enough drive unless you get something flick up and muller the windscreen!

So the AA wouldn't recover because he hadn't "broken down", but did suggest he didn't drive it. Right, so just sit there until the glass grows back then? Bell ends.....
So he carried on for the next hour down the M20 with no screen. Meanwhile I managed to source a second hand one just under an hour away after a lead on a Facebook page, really great guy called John at Kent Volkswagen, he wouldn't take any money for it I'm glad he accepted a bottle of red for it, he's a life saver, and had a very tidy and organised garage which says a lot about him. My local garage also agreed to stay late and fit it for us, Volksfarmers, legends.

So, back in the game, a few beers and a barbecue later, we were back on track.
Early-ish crossing to Calais, then a cruise along the Belgian coast to Nieuport for beers on the beach and a mooch around the market.

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[SiDev]

We moved on to Bruges and spent the night there, nice little site and spent the next day there.

Then on to Brussels, started to hear a slight rumbling which I guessed was a wheel bearing, got progressively worse and started to vibrate, but still drivable. Went to the Atomium...

And mini Europe...

Then spent the night at another campsite in Breda, really great place and the owner gave me a few branded bits as Breda is my Mums name. Awesome for kids and great facilities...

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[SiDev]

The wheel bearing started rumbling a bit louder, figured it was from the rear and could detect a bit of play in the rear driver side. Googled the local VW dealer, gave them a call and they took me in that morning. Pulled up and had a crowd around us taking pics, happy to see something other than a Golf for an oil change. Told them what I thought it was and they stuck it up in the air....

And found lots of play...took it all apart, tightened it up and it was massively better, hopefully it lasts til we get hk next week.
Anyway, after a couple of hours there, it was off to Efteling, went last year and its great, better than Disney..,

Got spotted and our buses posted up on a Facebook page...

Stayed in a house for 2 nights and had 3 days in the park with the kids, if you have kids and you haven't been, go, it's amazing.

Kids were so tired they couldn't even get in to bed straight...

They do great spiralled potatoes too...

Then on to a campsite near Efteling...

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[gninnam]

Great pics and story
So nice to see that some people in the VW world are not sharks and will gladly help someone who is stuck - like you say, the AA stink!!!

 

[SiDev]

So, after Efteling, Beekse Bergen safari park for the day to see the big 5. Kids were stoked, a great park that you can see by foot, bus or boat, all for the same price.

Found a sweet windmill to have some bus pics with...

Then back to base camp for a barbecue and a few beers....

Next stop, the 'Dam...



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[Myvanway]

Awesome pics.

 

[SiDev]

So, lazy drive up to Amsterdam, took around 90 minutes, but pretty pleasant as the roads out here are excellent and the scenery is very nice. Got to the campsite, lovely and clean with good facilities, but full of tuppaware...

Our pitch was nice and secluded...

The shop was well-stocked...

Play park for the kids and a bar for adults...

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[SiDev]

I'm in Holland for work regularly but have never been to Amsterdam, it's pretty nice but Bruges was a bit nicer in my opinion.
Took a canal cruise...

Had a couple of beers and a spot of lunch...

Then on to a hotel for the night, bit of comfort for a change...

All the excitement took its toll on my nipper who fell asleep in the restaurant...

While the buses were tucked up in the garage with a night off...

The next morning we did the two and a half hour drive to De Haan in northern Belgium, and got set up at a campsite 100 metres from the beach...

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[SiDev]

Beach day in De Haan, awesome weather, kids in the sea, bit of SUP, sweet...

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